Back to Haunt
by catherine.cat33
Summary: Eli is taken and it's up to Clare to find his kidnapper s  and rescue her beloved, but she won't be doing it alone...
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Hey guys, 'Tis Catherine (not to be confused with Cat) so, I feel really inferior because Cat's been pumping out stories so fast that I just can't keep up. Partially because Cat has a bunch of stories saved up from before we got an account and partially because I take a little bit more time to write and edit my stuff, unlike some people *cough* Cat *cough* (luv ya!). So anyhoo, this is going to be a multi chapter fic...so hope you enjoy. There's a suprise at the end so...keep reading.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Degrassi or it's characters. However I do own my story, my soul, and some really big spoons :)

"Clare," I hear an oh-so familiar voice from behind me. "Clare, wait up,"

"Hi," he says, casually draping his arm around my shoulders.

"Hi there," I grin up at him. That seems to be all the communication we need as we walk down the hall to English class. Eli has only been my boyfriend for the past four months, but I already feel so connected to him; like we understand each other without words. I couldn't feel happier or safer when he's holding me. It feels _right. _This is where I am supposed to be: walking down the hall to English class with Eli's arm draped around me.

"Hey Adam," I say when we get to English class and I see him sitting in his usual spot, right next to where Eli and I sit.

"Hey, lovebirds," He rolls his eyes, but smiles. "Do you two _ever_ separate?"

"Nope," Eli says. I laugh and we both sit down in our seats making sure to keep our hands still linked.

"I am assuming we all did the assigned reading and wrote our essays on the symbolism behind JD Salinger's _Catcher in the Rye_." Mrs. Dawes says placing a stack of papers down on her desk.

I dutifully produce mine from my bag and hand it to her as she walks by each desk. She stops at Eli's

"Well, you see, Ms. Dawes, my Grandmother recently passed away and my family is going through a really tough time. So, the essay really seemed unimportant in our time of despair."

"I'm very sorry to hear that Eli, you can get the essay to me as soon as your despair subsides." She continues walking. I wonder if she really believes him or just feels obliged to at least maintain the appearance of being sympathetic when a student speaks of dead relatives.

I shoot Eli a look.

"What? My Grandmother did pass away. Three years ago, but who's counting? And I did read the book. I quite enjoyed it. I just find essay writing to be…tedious."

"You're so going to hell." Adam whispers.

"Yup, so might as well live it up while I'm here." He smirks, leans back in his chair and folds his hands behind his head.

I can't help but laugh.

"Clare? " Mrs. Dawes says, looking at me reprimandingly.

"Sorry." I say quickly hiding my smile.

The rest of the period continues without anymore mishaps. When the bell rings Eli pops out of his seat.

"I'll walk you to history," He says, taking my hand. Throughout all of history and Chem after that I look forward to seeing Eli again at lunch. When third period is finally over I all but skip over to the lunchroom. I grab a tray and get in line, but I don't see Eli. I take an apple, a slice of pizza, and a bottle of water and go to sit at our usual table.

"Hey," Adam greets me in between bites of pizza.

"Where's Eli?" I ask, starting to be concerned.

"No 'Hey Adam, how are you?'" He says in a falsetto imitation of my voice.

"He's always here at lunch." I sit down next to him.

"I'm good Clare, how are you?'"

I sigh. "Sorry Adam, so how are you?"

Eli doesn't show up for the rest of lunch and I keep looking around anxiously. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but it's not like Eli to miss an opportunity to be with me…and to eat.

"Anxious much, Clare?" Adam asks.

"Where is he?" I say, abandoning any previous pretenses.

"I don't know, maybe some teacher finally called him out on one of his BS homework excuses and sent him to detention."

"Maybe, but Adam I don't know…I have this feeling…like something's really wrong."

"Wow, you guys really can't bear to be separated." He teases.

When I don't respond and continue to stare at my food he adds, "Clare, I'm sure that he's fine."

"You're probably right." I say, but I whip out my phone and quickly sent him a text.

_Eli, where r u? I miss u._

_-Clare_

When the rest of my classes are over I go to the spot where I usually meet Eli after school: right by the steps in the hallway. But he's not there. I wait for fifteen minutes before I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. The text is from Eli and I quickly press the view now button. My heart skips a beat when I read the message:

_Your little boyfriend isn't going to be driving you home today. _

_Check his car for a surprise. _

I gasp and cover my mouth with my hand. _Eli, this better not be a joke, _I think. But even though I know this isn't any type of game. I start walking swiftly to the parking lot. By the time I'm half way there I find myself running and then sprinting to morty. I stop suddenly when I see it. My body shakes as I circle it slowly, pausing before I talk each step. The windows are all a dark red color. Some of the spray paint had dripped down the side of the car leaving what looked like newly formed trailers of blood. On the windshield there was a single word in big capital letters:

_DIE_

I feel my phone vibrate again and reach a shaking hand into my pocket. The screen says incoming call from Eli. But by now, I know it won't be him. I click the answer button and press the cold metal object to my ear. The voice I hear is low and male and completely unfamiliar. It seems to echo even as it speaks.

"My, my, my, little Clare Edwards," The voice says, "We have him, but, if you cooperate, we're willing to make a compromise."

I already feel tears begin to slip down my face like the trails of fake blood on the car.

"Crying already Ms. Edwards?" The voice laughs a cold, humorless sound. "I'd save the tears for later. You're in for a long journey and this won't be the last time you cry. Remember, we have him at our mercy, and if you do not cooperate we _will_ punish him."

I fall to my knees on the asphalt.

"Get up Clare," It sneers.

_They can see me_, I thought. I whip my head around, frantically searching for the source of the voice. I see high school students and teachers, people talking on cell phones, but none of them seem to be the voice.

"Yes Clare, we're watching you. Good luck finding us though. Now unless you want to hear his screams, do as I say. Get into the car."

I whimper. They have Eli. My beloved. What choice do I have? I stand up and take three slow strides to the driver's seat door and get in.

"Good Clare,"

God, I hate the way it says my name; like it's dirty.

"The keys are in the glove compartment. Take them out, and put them in the ignition."

I hesitate. Is he really going to make me drive? I don't have a license and I've never driven a car in my life. Then I realize. What if they don't really have Eli? What if this is all a hoax? But I had waited to long.

"Clare, do as I say,"

I see a small video camera by the rearview mirror. I lift my hand to take it down and smash it, but then I hear the scream. It is long and piercing and unmistakably Eli's. My Eli. I'm crying now and the tears won't stop. The screaming continues for four more heartbeats. When it stops I hear the cold voice again.

"Clare, do as I say,"

I remove the keys from the glove compartment and place them in the ignition

"Good Clare, you're learning to listen."

I finally find my voice, but it comes out as a sob, a cry. "Please, stop, let him go!"

I hear the laugh again and I shudder. "Now. Drive."

I don't know how to, but I have no choice. I breathe in and try to recall everything I know about driving. I buckle my seatbelt, knowing that I'm going to need it. II pull the clutch back into reverse and press down and the gas. The car jerks backward and I let out a scream.

The voice continues without hesitation. "Leave the parking lot and make a right."

I do as the voice says, putting the car in drive and turning the wheel. I almost crash into a tree and let out another scream. _Focus, Clare _I tell myself. I successfully get out of the Degrassi parking lot and make a right.

"Now, left." It says when I reach an intersection.

My heart is beating so fast and hard that it feels like my rib cage may break. My knees are shaking, but I obey. It continues on like this. The voice commands and I obey for three more turns. I seem to be in the back roads and there are woods on either side of the car.

"Drive into the woods." It says.

There is no barrier between me in the woods, but the trees are so densely packed that I know driving into the woods will risk my life. I think of Eli. My perfect Eli. Wherever he is and I know that if I don't do as the voice says he will die. As soon as I see a clearing large enough for the car to fit through I make a sharp turn and slam on the brakes, stopping inches before a very sturdy-looking tree.

"Further."

I obey, navigating further through the woods around trees until I am far enough in so that no one will be able to see the car from the road.

"Now stop."

I put more pressure on the breaks and come to a clean stop. I let out my breath, not realizing that I had been holding it in.

"Listen very carefully Clare. As soon as I hang up you are going to get out of this car and go very far away from here. You are not going to tell anybody about today's events. If you do, we _will_ know and he _will_ _die_. I will be speaking to you again very soon Ms. Edwards." And with that the line goes dead.

As if in a trance I continue to obey the voice. I step out of the car and put my phone in my pocket. I walk. And walk. I can finally see the road and I begin to sprint. The last thing I see before the world goes back is a face that has forever been imprinted on my mind. The one from the picture in Eli's room. Dark hair. Dark makeup.

Julia.

So I have an idea of where this is going. The more reviews I get the more I'll post. So, review (cause it will make me really happy!:)

Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note: **Hey it's Catherine so here's chapter two. As always, reviews are fabulously fantabulous. So enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own not own any aspect of Degrassi whatsoever, only my story, my life, and a green beanie with a characterture of a guy with a mustache on it (don't ask).

"Boo," I hear a voice say. My eyes shoot open and I practically jump out of the hard and unfamiliar bed I lay on.

The voice snickers. "Haha, scared you. Just like I did before. So hard that you fainted on the side of the road. _Hilarious. _Of course it might have also been because your boyfriend got kidnapped, some creepy dude called you up on your cell and told you to drive a car, which you had never done before, you heard your boyfriend being tortured, then were told to drive the car off the side of the road and not tell anyone about the encounter. I guess that would be kinda stressful. By the way you are a _horrible_ driver. Like, one of the worst I've ever seen. Almost crashed into trees six times. I was counting. I was fifteen when I died and was already a _way_ better driver than you are. Psh, your little attempt was pathetic, but I guess I'll have to teach you that later. Ugghh…Clare, you don't know how bored I've been. Your little loss of consciousness," She puts air quotations around the phrase, "meant that I have been just waiting around her for the past two days. I am so fucking sick of this awful hospital stench. And I've seen some really nasty things. You don't even want to know," She shudders, "God, scaring you was the most exciting thing that's happened to me in the past forty eight hours. And I haven't been able to talk to anyone. Do you know how much I like to talk? _A lot_. So now that you're _finally_ awake, entertain me. Sing a song do a dance; dazzle me with your comedic skills. There must be some reason Eli likes you so much." When she was finished with her monologue she leaned back on a wooden table and crossed her ankles nonchalantly.

I couldn't do anything but gawk.

"Yeah, he definitely just likes you for your looks or maybe sex," she shrugs. "You're a deadbeat."

I can't do anything but continue to stare at this girl. I take in her full appearance. She is thin and pale-skinned. She has dark hair that hits just below her shoulders. Her features are severe, but she's also very pretty with full lips and a sharp nose. Heavy black lines rim her dark eyes, but the most startling thing about her is that she is completely translucent. I can see right through her to the stark white walls of the hospital room and the little cups containing Popsicle sticks and cotton balls. I had known instantaneously who this person was when I saw her on the side of the road and I knew instantaneously now.

_Julia_.

"Hello, say something," She comes over to me but she doesn't _walk. _I watch as she disappears into thin air, leaving in her wake a cloud of blue mist, and then reappears a fraction of a second later right beside my bed. Julia waves a translucent hand in front of my face, "Earth to Clare,"

I find my voice, but it shakes as I speak and sound raspy, like I've been asleep for a long time. "A-Are you dead?"

She says in exasperation, "I've been waiting around this hospital for the past _two_ days for you to wake up and _that's_ the response I get? I can't believe I got stuck with _you_. But I guess if it's for Eli… gotta go, mortal alert," she vanishes again in a small explosion of blue smoke. I can't believe this is happening. Am I going crazy? Maybe this whole thing is a dream. Maybe Eli was never really taken and I'm really sleeping in my nice, safe bed at home. Soon I will wake up and go to school and see Eli again and he'll wrap his arm around my waist and when I tell him about my dream he'll make some sarcastic joke and we'll both smile. But then I think of the girl who just vanished. She seemed so _real, _transparent, but real. This dream is much too vivid. I don't have much more time to ponder my thoughts because my mother steps into the room.

She gasps and rushes over to my bed when she sees me. "Randall, Randall!" she says as she gazes at me with a concerned look on her face, "She's awake."

My Dad enters the room and goes to the side of my bed opposite from my mother. "Oh, sweetheart," he says.

I look between the two of them both hovering above me looking loving and anxious. Though separated by a pending divorce they seem to be united by their concern for me. Sometimes they can be extremely frustrating and infuriating, but at that moment I thank God for my parents, their safety, and their love.

My mother brushes my hair back from my forehead and places her hand there. "Thank you Jesus for my sweet baby girl back." She says, looking up at the white ceiling.

"Amen." My Dad says sincerely. For a moment I picture them back together, happy and united, but I quickly shake the thought out of my head.

I sit up a little in my bed so that my back is against the cold metal headboard. I look down and see that I am clothed in the classic hospital attire: I blue robe made of harsh fabric-material. "How long was I out for?" I ask.

"About two days, sweetheart, they've had you hooked up to an IV to get you food and water." My Dad answers.

_Two days._ _So Julia was right. _

"You were found lying on the side of the road at about six o'clock on Tuesday," says my mother. "I don't know how on Earth you got there, but that's a conversation for another time. I just thank the Lord that somebody found you and had the decency to call an ambulance in time. You had quite a bad little crack in your head. The doctor gave you five stitches."

I automatically lift my hand to feel around my head and sure enough, there are stitches on the right side, where I must have fallen.

"You're going to be fine Clare, you've got some bumps and bruises, but the hospital didn't want to release you until you were good and ready. So my guess is we'll be out of here soon." My Dad says.

"Randall, we should probably tell the doctor that she's awake."

He nods and my Mom gives my hand a squeeze before they both exit. As soon as they're gone from sight I see the blue mist once again and the translucent Julia appears, sitting on the table with her legs crossed, leaning back on her hands.

She yawns. "_Finally, _we're getting out of this place. I would probably go crazy if we were going to be staying much longer. Oh, and to answer your question, yes. I am very much dead. I figure, since we're going to be spending a lot of time together, I should at least explain to you what this all is. So, brief but meaningful summary: I was granted a permit to come back to Earth for an indefinite amount of time until we find Eli and bring him back to safety. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to get a permit. I must have spent, like, hours in the processing center. But, times slower up there, so as soon as I knew that Eli had been taken I rushed to the center and was able to get down here just in time to see your little driving escapade. There are certain restrictions that come along with the permit. So for this indefinite amount of time I have to be attached to you. Ugghh…so annoying right? But trust me. I'm not doing it for you, I'm doing it for Eli, I still love him, you know."

For a moment, I am speechless. "Um…wow." I say.

"Yup. I know. "She casually snaps her fingers and a translucent green apple appears in her hand. She sits back, takes a bite, and examines me. "I still don't know what he sees in you."

Suddenly, I feel much too tired to be offended by that comment. I don't know if it's from my injury or from today's strange events, but despite having been asleep for two days, I close my eyes and begin to drift off once again.

"Okay, fine, go to sleep. I'll still be here when you wake up." I hear another crunch as she takes a second bite of the apple.

Thanks for reading!

I heart reviews!


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** So I kinda stopped writing this story because I've been really busy and it seemed like a good idea at the time…but I kind of got no response. But I decided to add another chapter. If you read this and think I should continue please review, because I probably won't continue if nobody really wants me to, just because I have a million other things to worry about. But I do have some ideas for this story. I genuinely like it, it's just hard to keep track of everything (I don't have as much time and proliferation of writing as Cat does) So please read this and please review this and I hope you like this!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Degrassi…or Google

That night my parents and I check out of the hospital and I sleep in my own bed. After having been asleep for most of the day, I lie awake, staring at the ceiling. I still have my glow in the dark stars and moons from when I was little. They shine down at me, like reminders of my early childhood. I remember staring at them on those nights when I couldn't fall asleep; the day before my birthday, Christmas Eve, that night I found out about KC and Jenna, the nights the sound of my parents' yells kept me awake, those nights when thoughts of Eli sent my heart aflutter and made it impossible to fall asleep because I couldn't stop smiling. Now too, thoughts of Eli keep me awake, but now they are thoughts of fear. Fear and pain. Because knowing Eli is in danger is almost as bad as being in danger myself. We are so interconnected, our lives woven together to form one fabric with colors of purple and black and blue and red. I cringe at the thought of him, cooped up in some awful place. Could it really be? Could my Eli really be taken? I don't want to believe it. I want to think that it had all been an awful dream and that tomorrow I will wake up with no bruises and go to school and see his smiling face, but I can't. Because I know the truth.

"In a contemplative mood, aren't we, Clare?" The translucent girl appears, sitting cross-legged by my footboard.

I groan. "My life just isn't going to be normal, is it?"

"It's kind of part of the deal when you sign up to be Eli Goldsworthy's girlfriend. Guy's got a lot of baggage."

"I don't remember being haunted by a dead ex-girlfriend being part of the contracted."

"Not haunted, Clare, helped. I'm an angel."

"Angel? Really?" I say unbelievingly.

"Why, Saint Clare, are you saying that you, believer of the high and holy God, don't believe in angels?"

I sit up in bed, "I believe in angels, but not the kind like this," I gesture towards her with her dark makeup and thoroughly modern clothes, nowhere is there a sign of white silk robes, a golden glow, or a halo.

"Wow, stereotype much? Think outside the box," she draws a box with her fingers in the air, "Welcome to the twenty first century."

"Well, this isn't exactly the type of manifestation I was looking for from God. And aren't you supposed to be a little, I don't know? Nicer? You've been making jabs at me left and right."

"You're my ex-boyfriends girlfriend; I'm allowed to dislike you. And who ever said that angels have to be perfect? I never claimed to be a saint, just a person, back from the dead, to help you. I'm a beginner angel. I'm supposed to become more…um, enlightened or something as I progress. This is my first time with an Earth permit, so this is like, an opportunity for me to grow"

I sigh, "I guess I don't really have anyone else on my team, do I?"

"You're pretty much stuck with me."

"You…you said that you still love Eli…"

"Don't worry Clare, I'm not gonna try to steal him from you. It's part of the angel code of conduct, but I'm not opposed to some mild flirtation. The undead do know how to have fun…"

"That wasn't really what I was talking about. I know Eli has more taste than to fall for someone who is dead and completely see-through. What I meant was, you still love Eli, so it makes sense for us to work together. You'll help me because it means helping him. And I'll put up with you because it means helping him."

"Precisely. I'm worried too, Clare. I would just die if anything bad happened to him."

"Interesting word choice…"

"Ugh…You know what I mean."

"We are going to be a team…because we have too."

"Because we love him."

"Because I don't know where to begin."

"And because even if I did know where to begin, I'm dead, so I couldn't do anything about it."

I laugh, and it for some odd reason it doesn't seem strange to be laughing with….or at someone who may or may not be a figment of my imagination. "So…um," I say. "Where do we start?"

"I think we start by going to sleep. Well, you go to sleep. It's two AM and you have to go to school tomorrow. Haha…I don't; one of the perks of being dead. But we'll think of a plan. I don't know…brainstorm?"

"Right. Brainstorm," I yawn.

"Um, so …uh…good night?"

"Yeah..." I say back, "Err…Good night, Julia…" I pause, "This is still really awkward, isn't it?"

"Maybe we should just settle on being allies who blatantly hate each other?"

"Works for me, frenemies?" I extent my hand.

"Frenemies," she replies, and shakes it. Her hand is cold to the touch, and feels almost like liquid. As I shake it she begins to disappear and I feel the liquid slipping through my fingers until it is gone.

I wake up to a sensation of sea-sickness, like I'm back on the cruise ship I went on with my parents when I was nine, and puking into the puke bags. I open my eyes and see Julia sitting at the edge of my bed again, shaking it wildly,

"Wake up, Clare! Boy you're a heavy sleeper,"

"Oh God…you can stop now! I think I may be sick! STOP!"

She stops abruptly, "well it worked,"

I breathe in deeply and look at my clock. "Julia, what is so important that you have to wake me up at five in the morning to tell me?"

"Okay," she says, "I brainstormed, and I came up with the first step."

"Yes?"

"Are you ready for this?"

'Yes," I sigh, exasperated.

"Google."

"Google?"

"Google. It's where every good detective starts first."

"How do you know?"

"Google."

"Right."

"C'mon, I came up with the idea, but I'm not allowed to do any human stuff, like browsing the web, again, against the code of conduct. _Damn that code of conduct!"_

"So, Google. Google is your brilliant idea that you had to wake me up at five AM for?"

"Well do you have anything better, Clare?"

I sigh, "Well now that I'm awake, I guess there's no harm in trying."

I walk over to my desktop, Julia hovering over me as I type in _Eli Goldsworthy _into Google. I press _I'm feeling lucky_, thinking, _what the heck? _Then, I gasp when I see the page that comes up. It's a facerange group and the name is _DEATH TO ELI GOLDSWORTHY._ In all caps. Like that makes them cooler. I suddenly remember the facerange account that Alli had made about Holly J. I hated the idea then, and I hat it even more now. I read the entries, and feel the hatred grow inside me.

_Skye McFlinn: Elijah must die. Lock him up and let him suffer. He doesn't deserve to live._

_Megan Hart: He broke us all. Now every tear I've shed because of him, he should shed too._

_Rock Grayman: I smell blood. And I like it._

I continue to read the posts and cringe. _This is awful. _How can something like this be on the internet without someone doing something about it?

"Oh. My. God." Julia says, reading from over my shoulder.

Well… we definitely have a starting point, but I'm not sure if I'll be strong enough to figure out where it leads.

**Thanks for reading!**

**Remember to review if you want me to continue!**


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